LAHORE: Retired justice Riaz Kayani cut a beleaguered and frustrated figure as he dismissed accusations of corruption during his tenure at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a press conference on Monday. He demanded the Supreme Court take suo motu notice of the accusation, given its gravity.
After retired ECP official Afzal Khan accused Kayani and a host of other judges, including former Supreme Court justices Tassaduq Jillani and Iftikhar Chaudhry, of rigging elections, Kayani moved swiftly to defend himself. “The accusations that I am affiliated with Noon League (PML-N) are a bare-faced lie,” he said.
Kayani’s press conference set up in response to the latest twist in the ongoing political turmoil that has engulfed the country over the past few weeks. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) had accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government of rigging last year’s parliamentary elections. PTI had claimed it did so with the collusion of the media and courts, including former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
Afzal Khan bolstered PTI’s accusations by not only affirming Chaudhry’s involvement, but implicating Chaudhry’s successor Tassaduq Jillani and Kayani as well. Even Fakhruddin Ebrahim, the former chief election commissioner who enjoys an impeccable reputation in judicial circles, was not spared. “Fakhru Bhai should have spoken out or at least taken notice on record,” Afzal said.
Kayani’s response was swift and indignant, but did not carry malice. Addressing the media, he lamented that taking a position at the ECP was probably “the biggest mistake of my life”.
“Had I known that I would be maligned like this, that I would be aligned to a party - had I known, I would have never have come,” he said.
He addressed Afzal’s accusations systematically. He said that Afzal’s claim that his salary amounted to Rs1million every month was an “exaggeration”.
He admitted to the accusation that he was receiving a salary and a pension at the same time, saying that it was “perfectly legal”. He referred to an alleged presidential order that allowed for employees that came out of retirement to draw both a salary and a pension. It is unclear which presidential order he was referring to.
Kayani also emphatically dismissed Afzal’s third accusation, that he was responsible for ‘90% of the sabotage to the election commission’. Flumoxed, he asked the reporters present, “Tell me what steps have I taken?” He called Afzal’s accusations “frivolous” unless they were substantiated.
As Kayani moved on from his prepared statement to taking questions from the reporters present, he began to express frustration outside of the allegations. He kept away, however, from attacking anyone ad hominem. Asked why PTI chief Imran Khan would name him, he said, “Somebody is poisoning his ears.”
He demanded the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the accusations, given position of the people implicated. “He [Afzal] has involved two retired chief justices and one senior judge of the Supreme Court.”
He also refused to condemn Afzal Khan for his statements in the interview, rather blaming the ‘leading questions’ asked by his interviewer, Mubashir Lucman.
“The anchorperson asked him [Afzal] ‘does this mean he is corrupt, tell me is he corrupt’. He wanted him to say it,” Kayani alleged.
“We call it a ‘leading question’ in law. Afzal Khan was not calling me corrupt.”
COMMENTS (23)
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Excellent,august and much the best advocacy of Nawaz Sharif's rigged government shown by retired justice Riaz Kiyani.....
@imran ali: Mush is behind this drama in the first place and has paid both qadri, imran khan and now this afzal guy. None other than his party announced that this drama is all about letting him escape. Mush is full of looted money he stole during his dictatorship.
You cannot rubbish every thing Mr. Kayani as you are also looting Pakistani's even today - let me tell you how? You only served as judge for three years and is not eligible for pension as pension require five year service as a judge. However, you are still getting pension on a stay order from the higher courts. That shows you integrity as member EC.
@Saima: "Afzal khan should be sued and asked to prove his allegations. "
As exposed by Afzal Khan, Kiyani has now admitted to having been "doubly" paid, during a certain period of time. He should immediately reimburse, to the state, that extra money to avoid further entanglements with the law authorities.
Hopefully, that was not Afzal Khan's motive behind the whole episode.
Riaz kiyani totally lost and was stammering during yesterdays press briefing; I am stunned nobody asked How Marium Kiani got appointment in LDA and now CDA...
Besides Fakhruddin Ebrahim, Mr Justice Tassaduq Jillani enjoys as spotless a reputation. I cannot comment for the veracity of Afzal Khan's comments pertaining to Iftikhar Chaudhry or R. Kayani, but that Justice Jillani, the gentleman judge, was in anyway implicated, is either a mistake or malicious. A poor showing.
Afzal khan should be sued and asked to prove his allegations.
Musharraf was right regarding,Geo,..Iftikhar Ch and Nawaz shareef
I was at the DPS school in DHA Lahore on election day and this polling station had a huge turnout and there were pre-dominantly PTI voter.
Khawaja Saad Rafiq & his wife had were manhandling ECP staff and voters. When family members of female voters trapped inside informed the police and requested their assistance, police instead of getting Saad Rafique out asked the family members to leave the premises instead.
Saad Rafique was kicked out eventually not by the police but the female voters. He left with the promise that he will get the polling stations shut and true to his word, he returned not once but twice to create mischief. Mr Riaz Kiani also visited the polling station, heard all the complaints and left without uttering a single word. Throughout the day due to Mr Saad Rafique's efforts the voting kept getting stalled and even the Rangers/Army had to be summoned. Mr Riaz Kiani visited again as by now the media was reporting problems there, however, he again took no notice of the complaints and was whisked away in 5 mins.
Sadly this is the true face of all these officers who were trusted to perform their duties with honesty and vigilance.
Truth remains truth and it is immaterial when the truth is known. Many have accused Afzal saying that why didn't he speak out when he was in chair rather than telling us now which has some substance I agree but still truth is not time barred. Very categorical proposition-dig out the truth now and then straight away arrest either (a) Afzal or (b) the whole group who were involved along with MNAs + MPAs who benefitted therefrom. It is very high and ripe time to stand up and expose those who are falsely elected. Who supports Afzal or for that matter who stones Afzal? Iqbal Hadi Zaidi/Former Diplomat/Kuwait/zaidiformerdiplomat@hotmail.com
Dear Mr. Judge and other cronies of Mr. Iftikhar Chaudhry,
All of you have been taken favors in Cash and Kind yours is as below sir i am sure Mariam Kayani must be an excellent deserving professional but we all know sir how someone gets promoted in public sector at such a scale.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013 - Lahore—On the orders of Director General Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Ahad Khan Cheema, Mariam Kayani, Additional Director General (Head Quarters) LDA has been entrusted with the additional charge of the post of Additional Director General (Housing), LDA, till the posting of a regular incumbent. A notification has been issued in this regard.—APP http://pakobserver.net/201308/20/detailnews.asp?id=215833
Here goes my observation all those who have taken part in Judges Restoration Movement that led stepping down of Gen. Mushraf should now be trialed with cases for falsely showing the nation that CJ IC was an honest person and stood in front of dictator...it has all proven that Mush was an honest person and all the judges and lawyers who supported CJ IC were real crooks.
Afzal has no proof and all is allegations based on conjecture and supposition
Our judiciary stands discredited..........the ultimate shame for a country.
@K Alam: "Common man you were considered the key man in rigged elections and you have been constantly named. Had you been an honest and decent man you should have resigned a long time ago."
Kiyani has full right to clarify his positions if he is accused by Afzal Khan and help bring out the truth. In fact the matter has gone beyond these two adversaries. The justice system should step in to bring clarification in the matter instead of being exploited by the electronic media and mislead the spectators by their over zealous coverage.
Why is Kiyani trying to drag "Fakhru Bhai" into this? Hasn't "Fakhru Bhai" suffered enough by having to deal with such underlings who tried their utmost to undo the brief of ECP? He made a very convincing statement at his departure.
Afzal Khan's late awakening obviously casts a shadow on his own role. The court ought to call him too, to get to the bottom of it all.
According to the commitment by Kiyani himself, he was being doubly paid every month (amounting to how many millions?). As honest member of the judicial community of the Islamic Republic, was he not duty bound to point this out to the rightful authorities such blatant oversight. Besides should have issued a word of warning, in the capacity of a person supposedly upholding the judicial system?
To all asking for proof, just verify the votes and we'll find the truth?
I hope he is able to refute any evidence against him provided by Mr. Afzal Khan... O wait, Mr. Afzal has no proof of something he claims to be the largest rigging ever in Pakistan's history.
Ahan really Riaz Kiani? if so then who is Marium Kiani and how she got appointment is LDA and now CDA?
I'm really confused why should Supreme Court take Suo Moto if a retired judge is allegedly maligned but not if any other retired person is.
Get off your high horse sir. Accept that you are retirement just like any professional, solider, general, lawyer, policeman, president or political. We are all equal under the law.
If the SC must take Suo Moto action on this why shouldn't they take on 1 million other incidents with other retired people.
Common man you were considered the key man in rigged elections and you have been constantly named. Had you been an honest and decent man you should have resigned a long time ago.
Justice Kiyani yesterday's remarks in his defense on a TV channel where he was totally lost clearly showed his dubious role in the May 11 election.
Afazal allegations without proof yesterday only prove that establishment is behind all this mess created in ISB. TUQ, IK, Choudary and Sheikh Sb, all report to one boss and have 1 objective. Free Mushraf.
And here we go again.